Arthur's pass to Timaru
Arthur's pass did not disappoint. The views were stunning. We walked to the Bridal Veil Falls and the Devil's Punchbowl. As a special treat, we were incredibly lucky to visit with some Kea, a native alpine parrot. They were gorgeous.
The hikes to both of the falls were totally different. The track to Bridal Veil falls was like a magical fairy land. Moss, moist, kiwi country. In fact I believe that there were many kiwi hidey holes for them to sleep in during the day.
Bridal Veil Falls
The hike to the Devil's Punchbowl was a lot of up and more arid.
The Devil's Punchbowl
After Arthur's Pass we drove to Christchurch where we got to meet Amalia's parents and her auntie. We had a wonderful time. Amalia's mom is a wonderful cook, we had a delicious lunch and spent some quality time with Chris, Phil and Mairi. It was tough to leave.
After Christchurch we headed to Timaru for the night. Timaru is a beautiful city on the coast. Caroline Bay right in the city proper is home to the New Zealand native tiny blue penguins. They come up from the ocean at night to nest in their caves then return to the sea to hunt in the morning.
We camped out on the bay to watch the penguins come in that evening. They didn't come in until 10:45 but we did get to see one! It was so exciting. Unfortunately it was too dark to get a picture of one.
Beautiful country, eh? Love your photos. When we saw the penguins come in from the sea, no flash photography was allowed as to not spook them in their natural habitats.
ReplyDelete